The Skeleton Road by Val McDermid

"A great example of story telling"

Description from NetGalley:

"When a skeleton is discovered hidden at the top of a crumbling, gothic building in Edinburgh, Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie is faced with the unenviable task of identifying the bones. As Karen's investigation gathers momentum, she is drawn deeper into a world of intrigue and betrayal, spanning the dark days of the Balkan Wars.

Karen's search for answers brings her to a small village in Croatia, a place scarred by fear, where people have endured unspeakable acts of violence. Meanwhile, someone is taking the law into their own hands in the name of justice and revenge, but when present resentment collides with secrets of the past, the truth is more shocking than anyone could have imagined . . ."

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I haven’t read anything by Val McDermid before (shock, horror!!) so didn’t really know what to expect but I have heard many good things about her previous books so took a punt and requested a copy via NetGalley and was approved by the publisher, Little, Brown Book Group UK to receive it in return for an honest review.

Set in Scotland, England and Croatia, the book follows the investigation into the murder of an unknown male found as a skeleton at the top of a derelict building in Edinburgh. The murder is put in the hands of the Historic Cases Unit and DCI Pirie who, with the help of her colleagues, discovers the identity of the body which leads her on a trip to Croatia and the discovery of secrets from the Yugoslav war of the 1990s. Running alongside Pirie’s investigation, we enter the world of two lawyers who work for the International Criminal tribunal who are attempting to find a killer who is assassinating war criminals. In amongst all this, we are transported into the world of Professor Maggie Blake, her relationship with a Croatian General and work in the underground universities in the former Yugoslavia.

This is a complex book with complex characters, interweaving timelines and historical events with the present. For me, it’s not particularly fast paced and it took a while to get into it but once I did, it held my interest to the end. The characters are believable and the locations are expertly described.

Would I recommend this book? In the main, yes but although it is described as a crime thriller, for me it lacked the “thrills” but is a great example of crime writing and story telling.

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Author website - click here

Author twitter - valmcdermid

The Darkest Secret by Alex Marwood

"Full of people you love to hate"

Description from Goodreads:

"Apologies for the general email, but I desperately need your help.

My goddaughter, Coco Jackson, disappeared from her family's holiday home in Bournemouth on the night of Sunday/Monday August 29/30th, the bank holiday weekend just gone. Coco is three years old.

When three-year-old identical twin Coco goes missing during a family celebration, there is a media frenzy. Her parents are rich and influential, as are the friends they were with at their holiday home by the sea.

But what really happened to Coco during her father's 50th birthday weekend?

Set across two weekends - the first when Coco goes missing and the second, at the funeral of Coco's father, where at last, the darkest of secrets will be revealed..."

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This is a subject matter that is any parent’s worst nightmare; their 3 year old child goes missing but, in The Darkest Secret, that is only the beginning of the story and when money and reputations are at stake, it becomes something even more sinister.

The story builds from the first page and takes a very firm grip on you. It covers 2 main timelines - the days leading up to Coco’s disappearance and the days leading up to her father’s funeral some years later. It’s told from various perspectives which, I think, was very clever as it provides different views of the same events and how each of the characters explain and, at times, justify their actions.

We meet some of the most thoroughly abhorrent and loathsome characters you are ever likely to meet but, on the other hand, we meet 2 sisters who, despite their childhood and upbringing, turn out to be half decent human beings. There are characters that you dislike at the beginning but develop sympathy for and their are others you take an instant aversion to which grows in intensity as the book develops, the story unfolds and the shocking truth starts to emerge.

I can’t recall having read anything by Alex Marwood before but after reading this, I will certainly read something by her again. If you enjoy dark, twisty stories that are full of people you love to hate, then this is the one for you.

I want to thank the publisher Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for a copy of this engrossing book in return for an honest review.

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Author website - click here

Author twitter - AlexMarwood1

Author needs help

"Author needs help"

Hi everyone

I am asking for help on behalf of an author, Kevin R. Doyle, who has been let down by people who have said they would review his book and they are never heard from again.

He has given me permission to pass on his email address to anyone who would be willing to read and post a review of his book on Amazon and anywhere else.

I have read it and you can find my review here - The Litter

Is anyone interested? If so, please contact Kevin direct and he will arrange an e-copy is sent to you; his email address is kevinrossdoyle@gmail.com.

Thank you.


Hazel

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